Tamagoyaki
An omnipresent element in the Japanese cuisine, Tamagoyaki 卵焼き (literally translated as ‘grilled egg’) is often found as appetisers or as a sweet touch in a sushi menu. Tamagoyaki is often made from a mixture of egg, Dashi, Mirin, soya-sauce and a sprinkle of sugar; though other chefs may have their own recipe, some whose recipe is a mix of shrimp puree, grated mountain yam, sake and egg to make custard-like cake.
It is not easy to perfect a good Tamago-yaki. It has been reported that Jiro Ono's apprentice had to practice this more than 200 times before it was approved to be served at Subayaki Jiro (the famous 3 michelin star sushi bar in Ginza - featured on 'Jiro dreams of Sushi').
Tamagoyaki is served cold or warm. Either way they are delicious. Fluffy and warm. Sometimes they are served alongside with Daikon Oroshi (grated white radish)
Tamagoyaki is generally made in a rectangular form, which is a result of preparation in a rectangular omelette pan called a Makiyakinabe 巻焼き鍋. The ones preferred by chefs are those made of copper, those care needs to be taken as they have a lower heating point compared to those made with steel. For those who can't get hold of one, a round pan doubles up as a good substitute.